The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1887-01-20

Mildred's pretty face wore D new ex-
preston as she toyed with her teaspoon
and tried to finish her roll and coffee.
John had just LETT her for his Office. They
had been married three months, and the
serious aspects of life were for the first
time presenting themselves.
Il wish could do something to help
Jonn,' thought Mildred, as she gazed alb
stractedly out Of the window. He has
to work so bald,' and she gave little
sigh:
What can l do ?'' she pondered.
"What can / do?" she asked herself again
and again, as with delt touch she
Strengthened and arranged the dainty
apartment.
Suddeoly her face looked as if q door
had opened and flooded it with sunlight.
81 know what will do; 1 will write a
story. / know can if I try it. People
do not have to be SO awfully clever to do
hat. 1t is knack, not talent. There
is Mrs. -, who has made heaps OF
money; and her stories are only poor
trash-all of them. John says So"
Before another hour had passed the
outline Of plot was dancing in her ex-
cited young brain, and as soon as she
could get the time she sat down with pad
and sharpened pencil. Theu came a
pause. "How shall begin p
She dew little geometric figures on the
margin of her paper as she reflected, her
thoughts seeming to revolve 10 q circle,
returning ever to the place from whence
they started. Finally she wrote:
'In small village on the banks of -
"Oh, that is 80 commonplace. No;
that will not do" And she tore off the
first sheet of her pad and reflected again,
then wrote:
"Frank Atwood was the only son of
az
"No, no; that is too stupid" and the
second sheet of the pad went into the
waste paper basket.
She recalled what John had said of the
superfuous first three pages, which might
with benefit to most stories be eliminated
for John was a journalist and literary
critic, and bis standards and ideals were
Just on the measure of her own. So she
thought with great Difference of what he
had said about tedious preambles.
"He is right" she said with decision.
"It is the personal interest in the charac-
ters which we are looking tor in reading
q story. All that comes before that is
tedious superfuity."
81 will dash right on with q letter from
the heroine, which will at once explain
the situation" SO with the confidence
which came from feeling herself at last on
the right track, she wrote:
"Dear Frank-I return herewith the
letters, which of course / have now no
right to keep. need not tell you what
it cost me.
al have reflected much upon what you
said yesterday, but am st last resolved.
will not zee you again. Any attempt
to make me break this resolve will Be
fiuitless. God knows you have only your
self to blame that this marriage has ~
"Please ma'am," said the cook, coming
suddenly in upon the young suthoress,
Please ma'am, The butcher 10 hero.
Will you come and zee him and give the
order yourself about havin' them chops
frenched, or whatever it ID"
"Oh, what bore, . sighed Mildred. 81
was Just getting into the swing Of Il"
And she left the manuscript upon hsE
desk to be resumed later.
The matter of the chops disposed oi
there were other things requiring asssn-
ton.
At last, however, she was at her dssk
again. She read over tha letter with